The cavalrymen were gone.

　　None of them would swear fealty to the Princess. The man at arms with the crossbow, the two lance bearers, and the rest had declared that they were the sworn lightning corps of their maker, the Field Marshall. He had made them what they were, the lightning that cleansed the valley, and then they all revealed their forearms to show the lighting bolt brands that had been seared into their flesh.

　　"Our Lives!" they spoke the oath in unison and saluted their Field Marshall.

　　"You have sworn to the contest of champions. Yours lost. If you will not swear your loyalty to me, then you are banished from this area. You will honour the result of the battle here today. Your champion gave his word."

　　Daktor slumped where he sat bound and would not look at his men. They had been told to leave their armour, the crossbow, and lances. The men filed out of the canyon with resignation, looking to Daktor, who would not return their glances. The men knew that once the bull was released, he, and even their own mounts, may turn on them and kill them.

　　Jazzy stood with the big bull she had named Nosey. She stood and rubbed his nose. Big Crunch had broken the chains and hobbles off the big lizard. They had expected him to run free, to disappear out of the crevasse with the thirty females running behind him, but he stood there, nuzzling Jazzy and, alternately, Big Crunch.

　　"You`ve tamed him," Big Crunch said.

　　"I think I remember meeting him before. But you just beat his captor and freed him. He`s in a good mood."

　　"Ah. That was not me alone. There was no way I could have done that myself." He winked down at Kalla and Ishi. "And you`ve always had a way with the animals."

　　The Princess walked up to them. "I have spoken to the bird brains. They said they knew us and that they had watched us through dreams from the crystal staff. They are eager to get to the fallen tower."

　　"I know," Jazzy said. "The voice that spoke to us&,"If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

　　"She called herself a professor." The Princess said.

　　"Yes." Big Crunch said. "We need to get the drone and the new bird brains to the fallen tower. The armoured track can take them there. That`s what I built it for."

　　"This is my task now, Crunch," Jazzy said as she placed a hand on his forearm.

　　"Are you sure, Jazzy?"

　　"Yes. I am. It is too dangerous, and once there, we are not sure how to get into the tower. With others there, it may not allow us in."

　　"But you`re just starting to remember. It is dangerous, yes, but without your full abilities with the staff, it may also be too dangerous for you."

　　"I am remembering. We don`t have the time. There could be more of the army not far away."

　　"She has a point. Crunch. Will you come with me?" The Princess asked. "And you girls? Will you stay with me and Big Crunch? We will take Daktor back to answer for the assassination of my father. Crunch, you could ask for an audience with your old friend."

　　"I will, and thank you, Princess." He replied, patting the big bull`s nose.

　　Ishi`s hand danced.

　　"Yes. And we will find Raj." Kalla said.

　　"Big Crunch, you will need to go to the High Priestess. She will know where the others are. Long Molly, Brik, Biter and Torpedo&"

　　"The man you call Torpedo is Badger. He is a good man." The Princess said. "You sent him to me to help guide me. Be my teacher. You sent him to me that night, nearly ten years ago now, in the pit fight?"

　　"Yes. He was told. We knew who the little girl was that was such a good fighter. The High Priestess knew."

　　"It was good that you did that. He helped me&, to think for myself. Help me become good." The Princess said.

　　"Yes." Big Crunch replied.

　　"You are all from the cantina that night? The wayfarer children. The sister, the pilot&," The Princess asked. "Torpedo. And the Counsellor."

　　"Yes. All of us. Changed for the good or the bad. All because of the machine. The machine that was trying to save its valley."

　　Nova and Brock had stayed back during the encounter with the cavalry. They had felt it was a fight they knew nothing of. They strode up to the party now, standing beside the trench with its dwindling fires.

　　"Princess, we will go as soon as I show Jazzy and our new guests, Brock and Nova, my track and the path through the cleft in the rock to get to the tower." Big Crunch said.

　　"The Counsellor will try to have you assassinated before you even get close to the city. He wants to keep the secret of what he and Daktor have attempted, are attempting." Jazzy said to them.

　　"Yes, I think they will be a vengeful lot. We must all get moving. Come with me. I`ll show you how to use the track. It will be the only way to get through that storm. Once you get there, hopefully, the staff will protect you all and let you inside the tower."

　　"I don`t see any other way," Jazzy replied.